Improvement in tents and umbrellas



2 Sheets-Shet 1. J. & Gr.- RITCHIE. TENT AND UMBRELLA.

No. 108,832; Patented Nov. '1. 1870.

m: uQflmS Farms co. mommmu. WASHINGTON. n. c.

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. 81; G. RITCHIE. TENT AND UMBRELLA.

110.1 108,832. Patented Nov. 1,18%.

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Letters Patent at. 108,832, and November 1, 1870. I

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To allito wlwm these presents shall come:

Be it knownthat we, J 01m Iti'rc'mn and Gnonen' Rrronm, both of London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of Tents, Umbrellas, Parasols, and other like weather protectors,'and that the following is a.

full, clear, and; exact description of the principle or character which distinguishes it from all other things before known, and of'the usual manner of making,

. modifying, and using the same.

Our invention consists in so arranging the radial arms or ribs'of tents (constructed with arms or ribs) and of umbrellas or parasols"that wheat-he ring or runner is i'noved'npward it"m'oves up with it the inner ends of the il-IIIIS '0I'111)S, while their outer-ends are brought outward from the top part'of the central pole ors'tick,

the suspenders or'stretchers being above the arms or ribs- I By this arrangement the tents can be erected and removed with facility and expedition.

To make our invention readily understood, we will proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which-- 7 Figure 1, sheet 1, is a halt plan, and

Figure 2, sheet 1, a sectional elevation of the framework of a tent construct-ed acoording'to our invention, and shown opened out;

Figure 3, sheetl, sectional elevation, showing the fi'ame-wdrk drawn up against the pole;

Figure 4 sheet 2, half plan, and

Fig'ure' sheet 2, front elevation of a tent on a smaller scale;

Figure 6,,sfieet 2, pait plan, and

Figure 7, s eet 2, sectional elevation, showing the improved sto f-joint we prefer to einploy for the ribs of the said tents;

' Figure 8, sheet 1, elevation of our improved stakes for fixing the ropes of tents;

Figure 9,'sl1eet 2, elevation of the frame-work of an umbrella constructed according to our invention, and shown open;

Figure 10, sheet 2, elevation of a parasol open; and Figures 11 and 12. sheet 2, elevations of parasols shut down.

Similar letters in all the figures represent similar.

parts.

In figs. 1, 2, and 3, sheet 1, a a is the central p'olo supported in the socket b.

On this socket is a movable collar, 1), fixed hya setscz'cw, c; this collar may have two, thrce,'-or more arms, a c, hinged to it, with curved projections, d d, at the ends to hold the socket firm after it is driven into the ground.

I c is a ring or runner, made so as to slide upon thev pole a, and to which are jointed the radial arms or ribs ff for carrying the covering.

:Eachof these arms or ribs has one end of a link or snspender, g,'jointed to it at a point intermediate of its length, asshown, the opposite ends of the said links being joi'nted to the eap'h fixed on the pole a. Bythis arrangement, if the ring or runner e (the parts being in the position shown in figs. 1 and2, sheet 1) is drawn downward, it will carry down with it the inner ends of the arms or ribs ff; while their outer ends will be brought inward toward the top of the 'pole until the arms or ribs, with the links or suspenders g g, lie parallel, or nearly so,-with the pole, as shown in .fig. 3. sheet 1.' If the ring or runner che pushednpward from this *position thearmswill be caused to move outward from the pole until they occupy the position shown at figs. 1 and 2, sheet 1-, the ling or runner c then coming against a suitable stop on the pole; or if the'improved joint shown in figs. 6 and 7 sheet 2,.

'andhereinafter described, be employed, no stop. is required; 1

' A spring-catch, i, or other suitable fastening, keeps the ring or runner in this position until itis again desired to closeup thetem. The partj of the covering of the tent is fastened at the topto the pole, and is supported by the links 9 g, and the part 7- k of the covering is fastened to and sup- 4 ported by the arms or ribs f fi The part j of the cov ering overlaps the partk, asshown by the dotted lines, fig. 4; sheet 2, and is not jointed to it except at'the arms or ribs; This arrangement allows ofa current of air to pass through the upper part of the tent, and is very suitable for warm climates. i

The-curtains l I may be joined to the part it of the covering, or be separate from it, their lower parts being fastened to stakes in the ground in the usual manner. If additional strength is required, the curtains may be supported by rgpes fromt-he top of the pole. 61' by rods, the upper ends of which'maybe hooked into rings at the ends of the arms or ribs f Fig. 8, sheet 1, shows the stakes we prefer to cmploy for fastening the ends of ropes of tents.

m is a large stake, with a projection, a, at the end like anarm of an anchor. It has: a slot (shown in dotted1ines)passing through it in an angular direction.

This stake being driven him the ground in a diagona1'direction,a second stake, o, of a similar construction, but smaller,'is passed through the saidslot and driven into. the ground in an opposite direction. Stakes thus driven into the ground will bear great sttaim-and cannot be drawn from the ground together.

. Fi s. (i and 7, sheet 2,-show the improvedstop-d joints or hinges we prefer to employ for jointing the arms. or ribs f f to the ring or runner c. This improved stop-joint or hinge is construeted'as follows:

p is a shoe which forms the movable part of the hinge, and is fixed on the end of the rib f. The end of this shoe 1) fits into an opening'made in the ring or runner, and is furnished with in dotted lines, fig. 6, sheet 2,) on whichit works.

.lo adjust these hinges or jointsthe upper part q oti the runner is raised from the lower part, and the movable parts of the joints placed in the openings made to receive them, the pins fitting in the holes t.. The. upper part q is then screwed dowuonto the lower part r, and the joints are complete and can move through an arc of a circle a little greater than a right angle, as shown by the dotted lines, but which are would be greater or lesser according to the angle of the abutting parts a of the movable parts of the hinge.

- Instead of the shoes 1), plates screwed on the ribs f f may be employed. \Vhcn necessary, for raisingor lowering thearms or ribs of the tent, a sheave may be fitted to the toppart oithe pole a, and a rope or Icerd passed over-the same and connected to the ring )1 runner. I Fig. 9, sheet 2, is an elevation of the frame-work of an umbrella constructed on the same principle as the;

tent hercinbetbre described; and dig. 10, sheet 2, elevation of a parasol shown open, and figs. 11 and 12, shect' 2, clevat1ons of parasols shown closed.

The suspenders y of the umbrella and parasols are sometimes made more flexible than the ribs f j; so that when the umbrella or parasol is opened the suspenders will bend toallow the ribs to bend outward; or, instead 'of the suspenders being made flexible, the ends thereof may be made so as to slide a short distance on the ribs for the same purpose, as in fig. 9. In some cases the ribs 11, sheet 2.-

are permanently curved, as at a pin at each side, (shown the umbtella' or parasol is made in two parts,'like the covering. of the tent, so that it the wind catches them from underneath it will pass out at the place where the two parts of the covering overlap, and thus prevent the nmbrellaor parasol being turned inside out.- I

Umbrellas or sunsha-des' constructed according to this arrangement are v ary suit-able for carriages or other vehicles. ;'l.o erect the umbrella 'or sunshade the central pole or stick is inserted in a suitable socket .The covering of sunshade is opened the ribs will not, in opening ontward, come in the way of those sitting in the marriage.

we do'not mean or intend to ciaimaspaiii of our invention the placing of the stretcher-s or suspenders outside of or above the ribs, which a-rlangeinent is not novel.

Having-now described our. invention, What we claim is-- 1. The combination of a single rib, stretcher, g, and the stick a, the two parts f g being so connected with the stick a, as described, that whcna expands downward, and when closed the outer end contracts upward, substantially as set forth.

2. The improved stakes m and o employed in combination, as hereinbefore described and represented in fig. 8, sheet 1, of the accompanying drawing.

' 3'. The improved socket b, in combination with an :uljustablecollar b having arms 0 c hinged thereto, and the pole a, as lmrcinbetbre described and represented in fi 2, sheet 1, of the accompanying drawing.

In testimony whereof we, the said JOIIN'RITCHHG aifixed our seals this 3d day. of December, 1869.

J, RITOHIE. [L.' s. GEO. RITCHIE. EL. s.

\Vitnes'ses W. A. GILBEE, G. F. REDFERX.

in the carriage or vehicle, and when the umbrella or f, with a Single.

- tent or umbrella is opened the outer end of the rib and GEORGE ltrrcnm, have hereto set our hands and 

